Synopsis

In 1960s Detroit, three aspiring singers form the Dreams and struggle to break into the male-dominated music business. Their fortunes change when ambitious manager Curtis Taylor Jr. reshapes their sound and image for mainstream success. As fame, ambition, and personal loyalties collide, the women face painful choices involving artistic control, romance, friendship, and the cost of becoming stars.

Factoids & Trivia

• Dreamgirls is adapted from the 1981 Broadway musical by Tom Eyen and Henry Krieger, which won six Tony Awards.
• The story is fictional, but it draws heavily on the history of Motown and The Supremes. It is not intended as a direct biographical account.
• Four songs were written specifically for the film: "Love You I Do," "Patience," "Perfect World," and "Listen."
• Jennifer Hudson won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Effie White. The film received six Oscar nominations and won two, including Best Sound Mixing.
• The production also won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy, while Hudson and Eddie Murphy won acting awards.
• Hudson reportedly gained 20 pounds for the role. She was also instructed to arrive late on set during production to help create Effie's diva-like attitude.
• Anika Noni Rose wore six-inch heels during the "Dreamgirls" number so the three performers would appear closer in height on camera.
• The film was shot primarily in Los Angeles, with the Orpheum Theatre standing in for the interior of New York's Apollo Theater.